Cibolo
Foundation repair in Cibolo
Cibolo homeowners have something most Texas homeowners lack: for newer houses, the city may hold a record of exactly how level the slab was on the day it was poured.
The baseline most houses never had
The hard part of judging a slab is not knowing where it started. An inspector who finds one corner an inch low cannot tell from that reading alone whether the corner sank or was built that way.
Cibolo addressed this by ordinance. Under the city's foundation inspections rule, Ordinance No. 1410, builders of new homes must take foundation elevation measurements after the pour and submit them to the Building Department, where staff verify them. The city describes the result as a baseline record for each new home, there to help assess suspected movement or settling later.
How to use it
Ask whether a record exists
The requirement applies to homes built since the ordinance took effect. The Building Department, on (210) 658-4175 or permitting@cibolotx.gov, can tell you whether your address has one.
Request it
The city says homeowners can obtain their foundation elevation records by submitting an Open Records Request, through the City Secretary's office or the Open Government section of the city website.
Hand it to the inspector
Give the company or engineer a copy before they measure. Today's readings set against the builder's readings show what has actually moved, and by how much.
If no record exists for your house, the inspection proceeds as it would anywhere else, and the new elevation map becomes your baseline from now on.
Permits in Cibolo
From the city's permit questions page:
- Structural repairs need a permit
- Permits are required for repairs to the parts of a building that maintain its structural integrity. A foundation is the plainest example.
- The contractor must be the applicant
- The city does not allow a homeowner to obtain a permit and then hire a contractor to do the work. An owner's permit is only for an owner who lives there and does the whole job personally.
- Applications are online
- They are filed through MGOconnect.org.
- Allow for review time
- The city says residential reviews may take up to ten business days. Ask the company whether its start date accounts for that.
If the house is still young
Many builders give a structural warranty on a new home. If yours is still running, write to the builder and keep a copy before you arrange any repair yourself: work done by another company can affect what the builder remains responsible for. Read the warranty booklet you were given at closing for its terms and notice requirements.
When you are ready
Pages can narrow it down. A level and a floor plan settle it.
Whichever side of the escarpment your house stands on, the answer comes from numbers taken on the spot. The firm that makes the visit then sets down on paper what it measured and what a repair would run to.
Sudden shifting, the smell of gas, or a wall that seems about to come down is a different matter: clear the house first, then dial 911 or your gas provider.
Have your New Braunfels house measured
Ring the number and describe the crack, door or floor that worries you. Whoever answers works for a foundation repair firm near New Braunfels, a separate and independent business, and can book a day to inspect.
Call (830) 879-9995Your call may be recorded. The referral disclosure explains who is paid.